Cafe Sapori — Restaurant in Harding Township

Our experience at this restaurant was nothing short of terrible. We made a reservation to celebrate our daughter's birthday, but from the moment we arrived, things went downhill.

The hostess didn’t acknowledge our reservation, and when we mentioned it, she dismissively responded, "Everyone did," showing no effort to accommodate us. She was arrogant and unhelpful, setting a negative tone right away.

We were seated at a cramped table positioned right next to the entrance on one side and the bar on the other. The bar area was packed with people waiting to be seated, making the noise level unbearable. Despite the hostess assuring us we'd have a quiet spot, the atmosphere was anything but. The space was overcrowded, making it impossible to have a conversation.

For a party of four, the table was ridiculously small—barely suitable for one or two people. This became even more evident when our appetizers arrived, and there was hardly any room for the plates. When we brought this to the hostess’s attention, she dismissively replied, “It’s Saturday night, and this is the best I can do.” That simply wasn’t true, as other sections of the restaurant had far better seating arrangements. It was clear the restaurant prioritizes packing in as many customers as possible over providing a comfortable dining experience. The seating was so tight that chairs were practically touching, making it difficult to even get up.

As for the food, it was extremely underwhelming. We’ve dined at many Italian restaurants, but this was by far one of the worst. Each of us ordered different pasta dishes, but they all tasted bland and unremarkable. Despite the restaurant’s claim that their pasta is made in-house, it tasted no better than store-bought pasta from a supermarket.

Overall, we wouldn’t recommend this place for any occasion. Between the poor service, uncomfortable seating, and mediocre food, even a low-budget dinner elsewhere would feel like a far...

There are not many restaurants that I have been to that were flawless. Of course no one person or place is ever perfect. However, my Cafe Sapori dinning experience was the closest to perfection to date! Starting with keeping our reservation in tack along with the impeccable service throughout the meal. Now as everyone knows that normally when you enter a busy restaurant you have to assume that your service or courses would be delayed . Not at Sapori! They were spot on. We never had to ask for anything but the check. So what I mean by that are the simple little details like the bottle of wine we brought was constantly being poured and our water glasses were never empty. Also, the plates and stemware were never lingering. Now to the heart ❤️ of the evening , the food! So you know my background upfront, I was raised in an all Italian household and I married a beautiful Italian/ American women. So my taste buds for lack of a better term are spoiled! The dishes that everyone ( a party of 7 ) had were unique , creative and enjoyable!! Right from our appetizers to everyone's main course, to desserts and cappuccinos!!!! I highly suggest you make a reservation and attend this lovely establishment, so you and your party can really see how a true restaurant should operate! My only regret is that I didn't take photos of the plates for posting. Next...

We arrived 15 min in advance of reservation to have a glass of wine at the bar, but were rushed to our seats - They basically would not allow it even though I called ahead and they said it would be fine. Very bustling, food took a long time. Octopus app had very little octopus, salad drenched in dressing, broccoli rabe side was good, my branzino with cherry peppers, shitake, and capers had literally 2 thin slivers of pepper, 2 slivers of shitake and a few capers. Veal Bosciaola portion was a little small. What we each got on our plates, that we did not want or expect, and was not in the menu description was a giant blob of mashed potatoes. I think piling mashed potatoes on every plate is lazy, but if that's the side you want to put on the plate, then put it on the menu so people who don't want it can decline and minimize food waste. Maybe would try again, but order something else, and ask specifically about what's on the plate. Would rather they raise menu prices and change ratio of protein and veggies to starch...